With a simple soy sauce-honey glaze and stuffed with rice, water chestnuts, and shallots, these Asian Rice Stuffed Chicken Breasts are juicy and full of sweet umami flavor. Serve with roasted vegetables for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner or elegant enough to impress all guests.
This chicken recipe pairs perfectly with our Teriyaki Glazed Roasted Snap Peas.
Easy Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
If you’re tired of boring, flavorless chicken dinners then this stuffed chicken breast recipe is for you! In this recipe, chicken breasts are stuffed with a mixture of tender jasmine rice and classic Asian flavors like water chestnuts, ginger, and shallots, all topped with an irresistible soy sauce-honey glaze. While easy, this recipe is definitely not lacking in flavor.
We love the combination of honey and soy sauce with chicken (like in my honey garlic chicken) so I wanted to try that out in a new way. This stuffed chicken breast with rice recipe features that soy sauce-honey sauce mixed in with the rice filling, used as a glaze before baking, and also drizzled on top before serving. It’s a wonderful alternative to the stuffed chicken breast recipes you typically see filled with some sort of cheese mixture and maybe spinach or mushrooms.
Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast Ingredients
This stuffed chicken breast with rice recipe uses a handful of classic Asian ingredients for a slightly sweet umami flavor throughout. Here’s what you’ll need:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Chicken breasts: You want boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easy stuffing.
- Jasmine rice: For optimal flavor and texture, we recommend using Jasmine rice, which is a long grain, with a slightly sweet flavor. Rice should be cooked separately and still warm for this recipe.
- Soy sauce: Adds the umami flavor to this dish. I use low-sodium to control the saltiness.
- Honey: A natural sweetener mixed with the soy sauce to create a delicious sauce and glaze.
- Shallots: These have a more mild and sweet flavor than regular onions. Finely diced sweet onion can be used instead, if preferred.
- Water chestnuts: Water chestnuts provide a subtle sweet and nutty flavor, along with a wonderful textural crunch.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger for optimal flavor. Be sure to peel before chopping.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Adds a delicate, nutty flavor. We prefer brown, not black.
- Scallions: This mild onion has a subtle peppery flavor and also adds a pop of color.
- Vegetable oil: Used to sauté the vegetables, as well as drizzled over the top of the chicken for moisture before baking.
- Salt and pepper: To bring all the other flavors together.
How to Make Asian Rice Stuffed Chicken Breast
Wondering how to make stuffed chicken breasts? It’s actually quite easy. Here’s a brief summary:
(Don’t miss the video and printable recipe card below for all the details.)
- Prepare the sauce. Whisk soy sauce and honey together.
- Cook the vegetables. Cook the shallot, water chestnuts, and ginger in vegetable oil until the shallot is lightly browned.
- Prepare the filling. Add the cooked mixture to a bowl with the jasmine rice, part of the soy sauce-honey mixture, sesame seeds, half of the scallions, and salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.
- Stuff the chicken breasts. Halve each chicken horizontally, cutting about 3/4 of the water through, opening like a book. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture among the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Rub some of the soy sauce-honey mixture on the outside of the chicken and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake. Drizzle with vegetable oil and roast until cooked through.
- Serve. Remove the toothpicks. Drizzle with remaining soy sauce mixture and sprinkle with remaining scallions. Serve and enjoy.
How Long to Bake Stuffed Chicken Breast?
The exact length of time needed to bake stuffed chicken breasts will vary based on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts. In general, you can expect your chicken breasts to be ready in 20-25 minutes. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F, so the best way to tell when the chicken is done cooking is to use an internal meat thermometer. As soon as it reaches the appropriate temperature, the chicken breasts should be removed from heat to avoid drying out.
Tips for Success
Making stuffed chicken breasts for the first time may seem daunting but there’s really only a few important things to keep in mind.
- Use equal-sized chicken breasts. Each of the chicken breasts should be an equal size and thickness. This ensures that they all finish cooking at the same time and one doesn’t end up dry while the others finish cooking.
- Cut only 3/4 way through the chicken. The key to successful stuffed chicken breasts is to not cut them completely in half. If you do accidentally cut them in half, use toothpicks to hold both sides together.
- Don’t over-stuff. While this recipe should make just enough filling for 4 chicken breasts, you do want to take care not to overstuff them too much. Even with the toothpicks, they could pop open during cooking, causing the filling to come out.
How to Store Leftovers
Cool completely, then store leftover rice stuffed chicken breasts tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with foil and pop in the oven on 325F until warmed through or cut into smaller pieces to microwave. Be sure to reserve any cooking juices when storing to help prevent the meat from drying out when you reheat it.
Serving Suggestions
I like to keep things simple and serve this stuffed chicken breast recipe with a roasted green vegetable, like roasted snap peas, green beans, or broccoli. Since there’s already rice in the chicken, I usually skip any starch or grain on the side and just stick with the vegetables for an easy, filling and healthy dinner.
More Chicken Recipes:
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Asian Rice Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 1 large shallot (finely chopped)
- 1/3 cup water chestnuts (drained, finely chopped)
- 4 teaspoons fresh ginger (peeled, finely chopped)
- 1 cup jasmine rice (cooked, warm)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 scallions (diced, divided)
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 oz each)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Whisk together the soy sauce and honey; set aside.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, warm vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add in the shallot, water chestnuts, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until shallot is tender and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.
- Add mixture to a bowl along with the cooked warm jasmine rice, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce-honey mixture, the sesame seeds, half of the scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir until everything is incorporated.
- Halve each chicken breast horizontally, cutting three-quarters of the way through. Open the chicken like a book and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide rice mixture among the chicken, firmly pressing the mixture together on one side of each breast. Fold the chicken halves back together and secure with a few toothpicks.
- Rub chicken with some of the soy sauce-honey mixture; then season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
- Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little vegetable oil and roast for 20-25 minutes or until an internal temperature inserted into the stuffing registers 165 degrees F.
- Discard the toothpicks.
- Drizzle chicken with remaining soy sauce-honey and sprinkle with the remaining scallions
- Serve with a roasted green vegetable and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
